Mechanical setting mechanism for radio tuning structures



J. H. TEAF Y 2,285,102

T MECHANICAL SETTING N'RcNAN-ISN RoR RADIO TUNING STRUCTURE June 2, 1942.

Filed April 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR @an Ar ya BY ATTORNEY Patented .lune 2, 1942 maar MECHANICAL SETTING MECHANISIW FOR,

RADIO TUNING STRUCTURES .lohn li. Teal",- Westmont, N. J., assigner to Radio Condenser: Company, Camden, N. J.

Application April 8, 1940, Serial No. 328,462

f 19 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved construction for operating a tuning device, such as a condenser used in radio receiving sets.

Heretofore various types of mechanical tuning structures have been proposed. Many o these have been of the swinging arm or pivoted lever type and oth-ers of the sliding plunger type. In all of these types, so far as I am aware, re-

course is had to some sort of a screw arrange-- ment for locking the setting device in its adjusted position. By setting device, I mean that part which transmits motion from the lever or plunger to a movable member that is connected to the tuning element such as the rotor of the cond-enser.

In some ci these screw ldevices the radio set must .be opened to get at them, which is in many cases inconvenient because Vof the location and compactness of the radio sets, especiallyy those of the smaller types. In other cases, the screw adjustment is brought to the outside of the set as a part of the plunger mechanism. y

All of these screw arrangements have various objections, certain of which have been referred to. Therefore, it is the object of my invention to provide a push button tuning mechanism in which the setting for any given radio station is obtained without use of any screws but on the contrary by the same pushing action, only in a greater degree, that is required to operate the slidably push button unit.

Another object of my invention is to provide a push button tuner which may be readily incorporated with the condenser in a unitary structure or may be built up as a separate tuning device for attachment t the tuning element of a radio set,

These and other objects will appear to one skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure l is a plan view ci a gang condenser with a tuning mechanism built integral therewith, the view being taken with the condenser in a vertical position.

Figure 2 is a view on the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure i is a View on the line i-Li of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but with one of the partsremoved and the other parts in section, and with the push button operated to tuning position.

In the. various views wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts, i is a frame having end platesZ and@ which may be integral and formed the lug 25.

from the bottom portion of the frame l The frame also has side members 5 and 6- which are heldin position by up-set lugs l.

The frame carries a rotor shaft 3 -on bearingsV such as described in Cramer Patent No. 1,800,719. As illustrated, the shaft 8 carries three sets of rotor-plates 9, H3 and H, `the rotor plates H being smaller than 0 and i6. rotor plates 9,: i0 and li are stator plates l2, I3 and id which are mounted on the bottom part of the frame as by insulators I5 which carry terminal plates i0 adapted to be fastened to the stator tie bars il in accordance with Cramer Patent No, 2,087,902 issued July 27, 1937.

The rotor shaft 8 carries a pinion i8 which preferably is made up in two parts interconnected -by a spring i@ which acts to slightlydisplace the teeth of the two parts of the `pinion iB.

`This type of pinion reduces the lost motion between the same and a toothed sector 20 which is pivoted at 2l to the end plate 2.

Carried by the sector 2i! is one end of a positioning member 22, thev opposite end of whichv is pivoted at 23 to the end plate 3.l The positioning member 22 has orifices or openings therethrough to accommodate a reduced end 2 of a plunger structure. The plunger structure includes a sliding plate 25 having a bent-over lug 2t which supports a push rod 2l, the inner end of which is supported by a lug 28 preferably welded to the member 25.

` A springt@ is positioned between the lug 26. and the push button 3l.

Initial tension on the spring 30 is provided by a lock ring 3E adjacent The push rod 2l carries a collar 33 which may be loose thereon and abutting against a shoulder formed by the reduced diameter of the inner'end of the rod 2l. Spaced a short distance from the collar 33 is a clamp 34, the same being loosely mounted on a reduced end of the push rod by means of a clearance hole inthe clamp'which has its end turned over at'fi for engagement with the collar thus giving along leverage onthe clamp for the purpose hereinafter set forth. v

To the slide member 2t is pivotally mounted by the pivot pin 35, a setting device 35. of the clamp 3G pass-es through` an openingtin the memberrand has its end bent,rasrclear ly shown in Figure 3, to lap over the edge of the setting device Clamping action is produced by a stiff spring 3l positioned between the bracket 23 and the end of the clamp that is positioned on the rod 2.

Positioned between the setting member or cam Cooperating with the Onek end.

36 and the side of the member 25, I prefer to use a thin, tough friction liner which may be in the form of a tough sand paper. This friction liner 43 is retained in place by a plate 38 which may be riveted to the slide member 25 or fastened thereto by lugs 39 which pass through the plate 35 and are turned over on its inner side.

Positioned over the reduced end 24 of the slide member 25 is a spring 4D which acts to return the plunger structure to normal position after one of the buttons has been used to tune in a station and is then released. The slide member 25 is also provided with a stop lug 4l to limit the outward movement of the plunger. Likewise, the frame parts are provided with buffer strips 42 to prevent the striking of the lug 4| against the front plate 5 of the frame. As is shown in Figure 1, the front strip 5 is provided with a buier sound deadening strip for engaging the mounting plate or strip of the radio set.

In operation, when one of the parts 3| is pushed inwardly, the setting member 36 will engage the positioning member 22 in a well-known manner and move it to a position such as indicated in Figure 5, where the opposite ends of the setting member 36 are in engagement with opposite sides of the member 22. Ashas been stated, the spring 30 is sufficiently stiff so that this tuning movement can be accomplished with little or no compression of the spring 30 so the collar 33 does not engage the clamp 34 which is securely held in locked position by the spring 31 as has been heretoforeV explained.

In setting the setting device 36, for any given station, all that is necessary to do is to push in considerably harder on the button 3l than is required for normal operation of the tuning device, compressing the spring 31 and forcing the collar 33 into engagement with the turned over end 44 of the clamp 31, unlocking it from its clamping position with the setting member 36.

With the plunger in this position, the rotor shaft is turned by a hand knob or drive (which is not shown in the drawings), until the station is brought to the maximum tuning point. Turning of the rotor shaft will turn the positioning member 22 so that it engages the opposite projecting portions of the setting device 36 which is free to rotate about its pivot 35 to take up a correct tuning position. When this is accomplished, the pressure from the button 3l is removed and the spring 31 forces the clamp 34 into locking position, thereby locking the setting device 36 in the adjusted tuning position.

Since the collar 33 is normally spaced a distance from the clamp 34, this produces a time delay which has the effect of permitting the momentum of the condenser rotor system to die out before any releasing action can take place. However, if the spring 31 is made sufdciently stii, the spring 30 may not be required, even though the collar 33 under this condition will engage the clamp 34 for each tuning movement of a plunger.

From what has been said, it Will be observed that I have provided an arrangement which'is very simple, yet one that is eiTective and very easy to operate. The usual locking screw is eliminated, thereby eliminating the troubles encountered in making adjustments with such a device.

While in Figure l I have shown three push buttons, the space alloted may conveniently carry ve buttons. Other changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a radio tuning apparatus including a member adapted to operate a tuning element, a part having an adjustable setting device for acting on said member to move the tuning element, and resiliently-actuated means for holding said device in its adjusted position.

2. In a radio tuning apparatus including a member adapted to operate a tuning element, a part having an adjustable setting device for actingon said member to move the tuning element, and resiliently-actuated means oscillatably carried by said part for holding said device in any adjusted position.

3. In a radio tuning apparatus including a member adapted to operate a tuning element, a slidable part carrying an adjustable setting device for acting on said member, a clamp and resilient means also carried on said part, the resilient means acting on the clamp to force it into locking engagement with said device.

4. In a radio tuning apparatus including a member adapted to operate a tuning element, a slidable part carrying an adjustable setting device for acting on said member, said slidable part including a push rod carrying a collar, said part also carrying a clamp having one end spaced a short distance from said collar and its other end in engagement with said setting device, a spring carried by said part and applying pressure to the first mentioned end of said clamp for holding said element in any adjusted position.

5. In a radio tuning apparatus including a member adapted to operate a tuning element, a slidable part carrying an adjustable setting device for acting on said member, said slidable part including a push rod carrying a collar, said part also carrying a clamp having one end spaced a short distance from said collar and its other end in engagement with said setting device, a spring carried by said part and applying pressure to the first mentioned end of said clamp for holding said element in any adjusted position, and a second spring on the push rod of suflicent tension to prevent the collar on the rod from contacting with the clamp while moving the said tuning element member in the normal process of tuning.

6. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for directly engaging said positioning member, a clamp for engaging said device and a spring acting on said clamp to hold it in locking position against said device. j

7. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for engaging said positioning member, said device being held in any adjusted position by a spring actuated clamp, said slidable structure having means for engaging the free end of said clamp for releasing the clamp against the pressure of said spring from said setting device when the push button is given a push much harder than required to move said positioning member to tuning position.

8. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for engaging said positioning member, said device being held in any adjusted position by a spring actuated clamp, said slidable structure having a pair of spaced lugs, a rod supported by said lugs and carrying the push button, the rod passing through said clamp, a collar on the rod adjacent the free end of the clamp, said spring being on the rod between the rear one of said lugs and the clamp.

9. A structure as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that the rod carries a second spring located between the push button and the outer of said lugs and being stii enough to prevent the collar from releasing the clamp from its clamping position during the normal tuning in of a station.

10. A structure as set forth in claim 8 further characterized in that the rod carries a second spring located between the push button and the outer of said lugs and being stii enough to prevent the collar from releasing the clamp from its clamping position during the normal tuning in of a station, said structure being further characterized in that the collar is spaced far enough from the clamp to provide a time delay between the arresting of the movement of the positioning member and beginning of the releasing action on the clamp.

11. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for engaging said positioning member, said slidable structure carrying two independently acting springs, and a clamp for engaging the setting device, one of said springs acting to lock the clamp onto the setting device while the other spring is positioned to take the driving load required to move the positioning member to tuning position.

12. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for engaging said positioning member, said device being held in any adjusted position by a spring actuated clamp, the slidable structure being movable by the push button to operate the positioning member and means carried by the slidable member for releasing the setting device for resetting thereof by a push greater than the first tuning push.

13. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for engaging said positioning mem- .i

ber, said device being held in any adjusted position by a spring actuated clamp, said slidable structure including two interconnecting parts, one part carrying said setting device, while the other part carries the clamp and its actuating spring, the spring being stiff enough to normally hold the clamp against the setting device to lock it in adjusted position and, during a normal tuning operation, said locking spring being actuated by a harder push than a regular tuning push on the part carrying it for releasing the clamp when a new adjustment of the setting device is desired.

14. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for engaging said positioning member, said device being held in any adjusted position by a spring actuated clamp, said slidable structure having means for releasing the clamp from its locking position by a greater push on the button than required for the normal tuning operation.

l5. In a tuner for a radio set, a positioning member for actuating a tuning element, a push button slidable structure having an adjustable setting device for engaging said positioning member, said device being held in any adjusted position by a spring actuated clamp, said structure carrying means whereby when a part of the slidable structure is pushed beyond its normal tuning position, the setting device is released for readjustment.

16. A slidable structure for moving a positioning member which actuates a radio tuning element, including a metal strip having a pair of spaced lugs, a push rod carried by the lugs, a setting device pivotally mounted on said strip, a clamp carried on the rod and having one end passing through an orice in said strip and bent to engage the setting device, a spring carried on the rod between one of said lugs and the clamp and serving as theA sole means for forcing the clamp into rm engagement with the setting device, and means on the rod for releasing the clamp by an abnormal push on the rod.

17. In a slidable structure as set forth in claim 16 further characterized in that a strip of friction material is carried on the metal strip between it and the setting device.

18. In a slidable structure as set forth in claim 16 further characterized in that another spring is carried on the rod exterior to the other of said lugs and a push button carried on the rod, this latter spring having a strength sulicient to take the load of operating the positioning member without affecting the force of the clamp on the setting device.

19. In a tuning device for radio receivers having a tuning element and a member for actuating said tuning element with a push-button slidable structure carrying an adjustable positioning device for positioning said actuating member and the tuning element, together with means for normally locking said device in position on said slidable structure; said locking means including a clamp for engaging said device and at least one resilient member normally acting on the clamp with suilicient pressure to hold the clamp in secure engaging position against said device during normal operation of the push-button structure for moving said actuatingv member to tuning position, the resilient member being acted on by a push on the button harder than required for a normal tuning operation, to release said device for resetting purposes.

JOHN H. TEAF. 

